Animation production system

ABSTRACT

The principal invention for solving the above-described problem is an animation production method that provides a virtual space in which a given object is placed, the method comprising: detecting an operation of a user equipped with a head mounted display; controlling a movement of an object based on the detected operation of the user; shooting the movement of the object; storing an action data relating to the movement of the shot object in a first track; and storing audio from the user in a second track.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an animation production system.

BACKGROUND ART

Virtual cameras are arranged in a virtual space (see Patent Document 1).

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

[PTL 1] Patent Application Publication No. 2017-146651

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

No attempt was made to capture animations in the virtual space.

The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and isintended to provide a technology capable of capturing animations in avirtual space.

Solution to Problem

The principal invention for solving the above-described problem is ananimation production method that provides a virtual space in which agiven object is placed, the method comprising: detecting an operation ofa user equipped with a head mounted display; controlling a movement ofan object based on the detected operation of the user; shooting themovement of the object; storing an action data relating to the movementof the shot object in a first track; and storing audio from the user ina second track.

The other problems disclosed in the present application and the methodfor solving them are clarified in the sections and drawings of theembodiments of the invention.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present invention, animations can be captured in avirtual space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a virtual space displayedon a head mount display (HMD) mounted by a user in an animationproduction system of the present embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configurationof an animation production system 300 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the appearance of a head mount display(hereinafter referred to as an HMD) 110 according to the presentembodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of the outside of the controller 210according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a functional configuration diagram of the HMD 110 accordingto the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a functional configuration diagram of the controller 210according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a functional configuration diagram of an image producingdevice 310 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a track generationprocess according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9(a) is a diagram illustrating a track generation according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9(b) is a diagram illustrating a track generation according to anembodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The contents of embodiments of the present invention will be describedwith reference. An animation production method according to anembodiment of the present invention has the following configuration.

Item 1

An animation production method that provides a virtual space in which agiven object is placed, the method comprising:

detecting an operation of a user equipped with a head mounted display;

controlling a movement of an object based on the detected operation ofthe user;

shooting the movement of the object;

storing an action data relating to the movement of the shot object in afirst track; and

storing audio from the user in a second track.

Item 2

The method further comprising sharing the first track or the secondtrack at a plurality of user terminals.

A specific example of an animation production system according to anembodiment of the present invention will be described below withreference to the drawings. It should be noted that the present inventionis not limited to these examples, and is intended to include allmodifications within the meaning and scope of equivalence with theappended claims, as indicated by the appended claims. In the followingdescription, the same elements are denoted by the same referencenumerals in the description of the drawings and overlapping descriptionsare omitted.

Overview

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a virtual space displayedon a head mount display (HMD) mounted by a user in an animationproduction system of the present embodiment. In the animation productionsystem of the present embodiment, a character 4 and a camera 3 aredisposed in the virtual space 1, and a character 4 is shot using thecamera 3. In the virtual space 1, the photographer 2 is disposed, andthe camera 3 is virtually operated by the photographer 2. In theanimation production system of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.1 , a user makes an animation by placing a character 4 and a camera 3while viewing the virtual space 1 from a bird's perspective with a TPV(Third Person's View), taking a character 4 with an FPV (First PersonView; first person support) as a photographer 2, and performing acharacter 4 with an FPV. In the virtual space 1, a plurality ofcharacters (in the example shown in FIG. 1 , a character 4 and acharacter 5) can be disposed, and the user can perform the performancewhile possessing a character 4 and a character 5, respectively. That is,in the animation production system of the present embodiment, one canplay a number of roles (roles). In addition, since the camera 2 can bevirtually operated as the photographer 2, natural camera work can berealized and the representation of the movie to be shot can be enriched.

General Configuration

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configurationof an animation production system 300 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. The animation production system 300 may comprise, forexample, a user terminal 410A comprising an HMD 110, a controller 210,and an image generator 310 that functions as a host computer. Aninfrared camera (not shown) or the like can also be added to theanimation production system 300 for detecting the position, orientationand slope of the HMD 110 or controller 210. These devices may beconnected to each other by wired or wireless means. For example, eachdevice may be equipped with a USB port to establish communication bycable connection, or communication may be established by wired orwireless, such as HDMI, wired LAN, infrared, Bluetooth™, WiFi™. Theimage generating device 310 may be a PC, a game machine, a portablecommunication terminal, or any other device having a calculationprocessing function. The user terminal 410A may also connect other userterminals 410B, 410C via a network or the like. Other user terminals410B, 410C may include an HMD and/or controller as well as a userterminal 410A and may include at least a computer, a game machine, aportable communication terminal, or any other device having acomputational processing function.

HMD 110

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the appearance of a head mount display(hereinafter referred to as HMD) 110 according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 5 shows a functional configuration diagram of the HMD110 according to the present embodiment. The HMD 110 is mounted on theuser's head and includes a display panel 120 for placement in front ofthe user's left and right eyes. Although an optically transmissive andnon-transmissive display is contemplated as the display panel, thisembodiment illustrates a non-transmissive display panel that can providemore immersion. The display panel 120 displays a left-eye image and aright-eye image, which can provide the user with a three-dimensionalimage by utilizing the visual difference of both eyes. If left- andright-eye images can be displayed, a left-eye display and a right-eyedisplay can be provided separately, and an integrated display forleft-eye and right-eye can be provided.

The housing portion 130 of the HMD 110 includes a sensor 140. The sensor140 may comprise, for example, a magnetic sensor, an accelerationsensor, or a gyro sensor, or a combination thereof, to detect actionssuch as the orientation or tilt of the user's head. When the verticaldirection of the user's head is Y-axis, the axis corresponding to theuser's anteroposterior direction is Z-axis, which connects the center ofthe display panel 120 with the user, and the axis corresponding to theuser's left and right direction is X-axis, the sensor 140 can detect therotation angle around the X-axis (so-called pitch angle), rotation anglearound the Y-axis (so-called yaw angle), and rotation angle around theZ-axis (so-called roll angle).

In place of or in addition to the sensor 140, the housing portion 130 ofthe HMD 110 may also include a plurality of light sources 150 (e.g.,infrared light LEDs, visible light LEDs). A camera (e.g., an infraredlight camera, a visible light camera) installed outside the HMD 110(e.g., indoor, etc.) can detect the position, orientation, and tilt ofthe HMD 110 in a particular space by detecting these light sources.Alternatively, for the same purpose, the HMD 110 may be provided with acamera for detecting a light source installed in the housing portion 130of the HMD 110.

The housing portion 130 of the HMD 110 may also include an eye trackingsensor. The eye tracking sensor is used to detect the user's left andright eye gaze directions and gaze. There are various types of eyetracking sensors. For example, the position of reflected light on thecornea, which can be irradiated with infrared light that is weak in theleft eye and right eye, is used as a reference point, the position ofthe pupil relative to the position of reflected light is used to detectthe direction of the eye line, and the intersection point in thedirection of the eye line in the left eye and right eye is used as afocus point.

Controller 210

FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of the appearance of the controller 210according to the present embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a functionalconfiguration diagram of the controller 210 according to the presentembodiment. The controller 210 can support the user to makepredetermined inputs in the virtual space. The controller 210 may beconfigured as a set of left-hand 220 and right-hand 230 controllers. Theleft hand controller 220 and the right hand controller 230 may each havean operational trigger button 240, an infrared LED 250, a sensor 260, ajoystick 270, and a menu button 280.

The operation trigger button 240 is positioned as 240 a, 240 b in aposition that is intended to perform an operation to pull the triggerwith the middle finger and index finger when gripping the grip 235 ofthe controller 210. The frame 245 formed in a ring-like fashion downwardfrom both sides of the controller 210 is provided with a plurality ofinfrared LEDs 250, and a camera (not shown) provided outside thecontroller can detect the position, orientation and slope of thecontroller 210 in a particular space by detecting the position of theseinfrared LEDs.

The controller 210 may also incorporate a sensor 260 to detectoperations such as the orientation or tilt of the controller 210. Assensor 260, it may comprise, for example, a magnetic sensor, anacceleration sensor, or a gyro sensor, or a combination thereof.Additionally, the top surface of the controller 210 may include ajoystick 270 and a menu button 280. It is envisioned that the joystick270 may be moved in a 360 degree direction centered on the referencepoint and operated with a thumb when gripping the grip 235 of thecontroller 210. Menu buttons 280 are also assumed to be operated withthe thumb. In addition, the controller 210 may include a vibrator (notshown) for providing vibration to the hand of the user operating thecontroller 210. The controller 210 includes an input/output unit and acommunication unit for outputting information such as the position,orientation, and slope of the controller 210 via a button or a joystick,and for receiving information from the host computer.

With or without the user grasping the controller 210 and manipulatingthe various buttons and joysticks, and with information detected by theinfrared LEDs and sensors, the system can determine the user's handoperation and attitude, pseudo-displaying and operating the user's handin the virtual space.

Image Generator 310

FIG. 7 shows a functional configuration diagram of an image producingdevice 310 according to this embodiment. The image producing device 310may use a device such as a PC, a game machine, or a portablecommunication terminal having a function for storing information on theuser's head operation or the operation or operation of the controlleracquired by the user input information or the sensor, which istransmitted from the HMD 110 or the controller 210, performing apredetermined computational processing, and generating an image. Theimage producing device 310 may include an input/output unit 320 forestablishing a wired connection with a peripheral device such as, forexample, an HMD 110 or a controller 210, and a communication unit 330for establishing a wireless connection such as infrared, Bluetooth, orWiFi (registered trademark). The information received from the HMD 110and/or the controller 210 regarding the operation of the user's head orthe operation or operation of the controller is detected in the controlunit 340 as input content including the operation of the user'sposition, line of sight, attitude, speech, operation, etc., through theI/O unit 320 and/or the communication unit 330. The control unit 350executes a control program stored in the storage unit 350 according tothe user's input content, and performs a process such as controlling thecharacter and generating an image. The control unit 340 may be composedof a CPU. However, by further providing a GPU specialized for imageprocessing, information processing and image processing can bedistributed and overall processing efficiency can be improved. The imagegenerating device 310 may also communicate with other computingprocessing devices to allow other computing processing devices to shareinformation processing and image processing.

The control unit 340 includes a user input detecting unit 410 thatdetects information received from the HMD 110 and/or the controller 210regarding the operation of the user's head, speech of the user, andoperation of the controller, a character control unit 420 that executesa control program stored in the control program storage unit for acharacter stored in the character data storage unit 440 of the storageunit 350 in advance, and an image producing unit 430 that generates animage based on character control. Here, the control of the operation ofthe character is realized by converting information such as thedirection, inclination, or manual operation of the user head detectedthrough the HMD 110 or the controller 210 into the operation of eachpart of the bone structure created in accordance with the movement orrestriction of the joints of the human body, and applying the operationof the bone structure to the previously stored character data byrelating the bone structure. Further, the control unit 340 includes arecording and playback executing unit 440 for recording and playing backan image-generated character on a track, and an editing executing unit450 for editing each track and generating the final content. Further,the controller 340 includes a recording and reproduction executing unit460 for recording audio based on a user's speech.

The storage unit 350 includes a character data storage unit 510 forstoring not only image data of a character but also information relatedto a character such as attributes of a character. The control programstorage unit 520 stores a program for controlling the operation of acharacter or an expression in the virtual space. The storage unit 350includes an action data composed of parameters for controlling themovement of a character in a moving image generated by the imageproducing unit 630 and a track storage unit 530 for storing motion datarelating to a user's voice and/or lipsink.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a track generationprocess according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the recording and reproduction executing unit 440 of the controlunit 340 of the image producing device 310 starts recording for storingaction data of the moving image related to operation by the firstcharacter in the virtual space in the first track of the track storageunit 530 (S101). Here, the position of the camera where the character isto be shot and the viewpoint of the camera (e.g., FPV, TPV, etc.) can beset. For example, in the virtual space 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 , theposition where the camera man 2 is disposed and the angle of the camera3 can be set with respect to the character 4 corresponding to the firstcharacter. The recording start operation may be indicated by a remotecontroller, such as controller 210, or may be indicated by otherterminals. The operation may also be performed by a user who is equippedwith an HMD 110 to manipulate the controller 210, to play a character,or by a user other than the user who performs the character. Inaddition, the recording process may be automatically started based ondetecting an operation by a user who performs the character describedbelow.

Subsequently, the user input detecting unit 410 of the control unit 340detects information received from the HMD 110 and/or the controller 210regarding the operation of the user's head, speech of the user, andoperation or operation of the controller (S102). For example, when theuser mounting the HMD 110 tilts the head, the sensor 140 provided in theHMD 110 detects the tilt and transmits information about the tilt to theimage generating device 310. The image generating device 310 receivesinformation about the operation of the user through the communicationunit 330, and the user input detecting unit 410 detects the operation ofthe user's head based on the received information. Also, when a userperforms a predetermined operation or operation, such as lifting thecontroller 210 or pressing a button, the sensor 260 provided in thecontroller detects the operation and/or operation and transmitsinformation about the operation and/or operation to the image generatingdevice 310 using the controller 210. The image producing device 310receives information related to the user's controller operation andoperation through the communication unit 330, and the user inputdetecting unit 410 detects the user's controller operation and operationbased on the received information.

Subsequently, the character control unit 420 of the control unit 340controls the operation of the first character in the virtual space basedon the operation of the detected user (S103). For example, based on theuser detecting an operation to tilt the head, the character control unit420 controls to tilt the head of the first character. Also, based on thefact that the user lifts the controller and detects pressing apredetermined button on the controller, the character control unit 420controls something while extending the arm of the first characterupward. In this manner, the character control unit 420 controls thefirst character to perform the corresponding operation each time theuser input detecting unit 410 detects an operation by a user transmittedfrom the HMD 110 or the controller 210. Stores parameters related to theoperation and/or operation detected by the user input detecting unit 410in the first track of the track storage unit 530. Alternatively, thecharacter may be controlled to perform a predetermined performanceaction without user input, and the action data relating to thepredetermined performance action may be stored in a first track, asshown in FIG. 9(a), or both user action and action data relating to apredetermined operation may be stored.

Subsequently, the recording and reproduction executing unit 440 confirmswhether or not the user receives the instruction to end the recording(S104), and when receiving the instruction to end the recording,completes the recording of the first track related to the firstcharacter (S105). The recording and reproduction executing unit 440continues the recording process unless the user receives an instructionto end the recording. Here, the recording and reproduction executingunit 440 may perform the process of automatically completing therecording when the operation by the user acting as a character is nolonger detected.

Subsequently, the recording execution unit 460 starts recording forstoring in the second track of the track storage unit 530 (S106). Here,the audio to be recorded is assumed to have various uses, such astentatively recording the lyrics of the character, recording the camerawork and instruction on the appearance in accordance with the characteroperation realized by the stored action data. For example, in thevirtual space 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 , a camera viewpoint for acharacter 4 corresponding to the first character can be set so as totake a bird's eye view from a camera 3 to a TPV viewpoint, and the firsttrack can be played back, and the second track can be recorded as shownin FIG. 9(b), while checking the operation of the character 4. Therecording start operation may be indicated by a remote controller, suchas controller 210, or may be indicated by other terminals. The operationmay also be performed by a user who performs a character or by a userother than the user who performs the character. The recording processmay also be initiated automatically based on the detection of speech bythe user performing the character.

Subsequently, the recording and reproduction executing unit 460 of thecontrol unit 340 detects the voice information pertaining to the speechof a user received from the HMD 110 or the microphone (not shown)through the user input detecting unit 410 and records the voice to thesecond track (S107). Here, the user may be the same user as the userperforming the first character, or may be a different user.Alternatively, the voice input by the user can be received through asound collecting means such as a microphone that is input to theinput/output unit 320 of the image producing device 310.

Subsequently, the recording executing unit 460 confirms whether the userhas received an instruction to terminate the recording (S108), and whenreceiving an instruction to terminate the recording, completes therecording of the second track (S109). The recording executing unit 460continues the recording process unless the user receives an instructionto terminate the recording. Here, the recording execution unit 440 mayperform a process of automatically completing the recording when theoperation by the user acting as a character is no longer detected. It isalso possible to execute the recording termination process at apredetermined time by activating a timer rather than acceptinginstructions from the user.

Although the procedure of the track generation process has beendescribed with reference to FIG. 8 , for processing of S107 to S109,motion data consisting of parameters relating to the corresponding lipsink (lip movement of the character) can be stored instead of oradditionally adding the user's voice to the second track, based on theuser's voice. When the motion data related to lip-sink is storedtogether with the recording, in S108 and S109, it is possible to stopstoring the motion data when the voice of the user is no longerdetected.

It is also possible to skip the first track recording of S101 to S106 toexecute the recording process of S107 or later. The same applies tostoring motion data related to lipsink.

The user may also transmit the first and second tracks to other userterminals such as voice actors (e.g., user terminals 410B or 410C ofFIG. 2 ), and other users may further record character audio whilereferring to the audio of the temporarily recorded characters. Inaddition, when the other user is an editor, the camera angle of thefirst track or the behavior of the character may be edited whilereferring to the instruction content, such as the recorded appearance ofthe shared second track.

In addition, the animation production system according to the presentembodiment can be used to produce the animation by a so-called agilemethod. In other words, it is possible to complete the scene byrepeating the events in a short period of time, checking the finish, andtaking the pictures again and recording them as needed. This makes itpossible to produce animations quickly and flexibly while confirming thedirection of production. Alternatively, only a portion of a scene thatcan be represented can be included in the track and the animation can befinished by stacking the tracks later. For example, the creation of apicture contest is omitted, and instead of a picture contest, adirector, performer, or scenario writer can manipulate character 4within virtual space 1 to record on a track and the performer can playwhile checking the recorded track. For example, it may be easy toretrieve and rectify a contradictory scene. In addition, various cutscan be made to the track in asynchronous audio and visual recordings,thereby facilitating scheduling management.

Although the present embodiment has been described above, theabove-described embodiment is intended to facilitate the understandingof the present invention and is not intended to be a limitinginterpretation of the present invention. The present invention may bemodified and improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and thepresent invention also includes its equivalent.

For example, in this embodiment, while a character has been described asan example with respect to a track generation method and an editingmethod, the method disclosed in this embodiment may be applied to anobject (vehicle, structure, article, etc.) comprising an action,including not only a character, but also a character.

For example, although the image producing device 310 has been describedin this embodiment as separate from the HMD 110, the HMD 110 may includeall or part of the configuration and functions provided by the imageproducing device 310.

EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS

1 virtual space

2 cameraman

3 cameras

4 characters

5 characters

110 HMD

210 controller

310 Image Generator

410 User Terminals

1. (canceled)
 2. An animation production method that provides a virtualspace in which a given character is placed, the method comprising: afirst user terminal executing steps of: detecting an operation of afirst user equipped with a head mounted display; controlling a movementof a character based on the detected operation of the first user;shooting the movement of the character; storing an action data relatingto the movement of the shot character in a first track; recording aninstruction of action of the character based on a voice of the firstuser in a second track; and transmitting the first and second track to asecond user terminal, and the second user terminal executing steps of:editing the movement of the character while replaying the instruction inthe second track.
 3. The method according to claim 2, the method furthercomprising sharing the first track or the second track at a plurality ofuser terminals.
 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein therecording the instruction of the action of the character furtherincludes recording an instruction of camerawork, and the editing themovement of the character further includes editing angle of a camerawhile replaying the instruction of the camerawork.